Theo Hernandez will get his place back in AC Milan’s starting line-up for tonight’s game against Roma, and a report has detailed how he won Paulo Fonseca over.
La Gazzetta dello Sport speak of Theo his ‘destiny on the line’ which often leads players to ‘make the wisest decisions’. Fonseca and the Frenchman, until 24 hours ago, were two islands: they looked at each other from afar, without contact.
Fonseca was annoyed – let’s say furious, if you like spice – by the attitude of his full-back, while Theo was not enthusiastic about being benched. Then something happened: yesterday, the pair spoke in a serious conversation, in which they talked about training, matches, attitudes.
Only they know the exact words, but the meaning is clear: Theo wants to return to playing, Fonseca has asked to give more because he wants to see the devastating full-back of the past again. It’s not the first conversation of the season, it could become the most important: because they are on the same page.
The epilogue was not a given because Fonseca, without that speech, would have kept Hernandez out. It is a question of coherence with the past and management of the group, with the same laws applying for everyone.
However, something has changed in the last few days. Theo ended up on the bench in Verona on December 20th and, when he came on, he played badly. Fonseca did not attack as he did after Milan-Red Star, when Theo was the real recipient of the outburst, and asked him to train on December 23rd, a day off.
Theo went to Milanello and that was a first sign. Yesterday’s training helped, and today Fonseca and Theo will thus play for their future together, and that is very wise given the circumstances that both face.
For Hernandez it is a question of both reputation, more specifically the question: how can one of the top three full-backs in the world end up on the bench? The topic of his renewal looms like an eternal crossroads, too.
For Fonseca, the idea is to remain safely in his job despite the rumours of a potential sacking. A week from the Supercoppa Italiana, the coach must show that everyone is rowing in the same direction and that the Champions League places are obtainable.
Every day there’s drama with Fonseca. He’s turned this team into an f’ing soap opera.
Problem is he wants to do everything different, opposite to what Pioli did, that includes destroying a left flank that can be one of the strongest of Europe. Instead of building on the positives that Pioli had created, he prefers to be a stubborn child with a ‘my way of the highway’ mentality
Being able to see the good things your predecessor did, is a great attribute of any coach.
Theo and Leao were trash last season too.
The only differences between Fonseca and his predecessor is that he actually has the balls to bench them.
How many months in a row Leao couldn’t score a goal in serie A last season under Fonseca predecessor?
Short memory
Last season Theo and Leao were ruined for the first half because the genius Pioli insisted on using an inverted fullback system that suited neither of them. Once he got back to his usual tactics with regular fullbacks both of them started scoring and assisting.
With that said, I did and still do agree with Fonseca when he decided to bench them (it’s pretty much the only thing I give props to Fonseca for). Both of them were too spoiled under Pioli who never dared question their behaviour and laziness.
I get the criticism about Leao, although trash is going way overboard. But Theo?! The guy who did well even as CB when necessary?The guy who played the most minutes on our squad, and was our most consistent player? Talk about short memory.
Well maybe they were “trash” because footballers have emotions too and didnt accept the way the management treated or club (Maldini coldblooded being fired, Pioli (which you wont believe maybe but who is a great mentor for those players) being puked out the second part of previous season, it touched our players badly, if you don’t see it maybe you’re not that good psychologically. It has nothing to do with my bad memory, more with you not understanding the sentiment of our squad.
@Giga, Well the difference between Pioli and Fonseca is that he was able to put his pride aside changing his Fullback tactics back to it’s full force. And Theo’s situation is not the same as Leao’s but both struggled the same mentally. Theo – like Baresi says accurate – gave his all last season, not every position or playstyle suited him as well, but he always gave his best. Under Fonseca it is like he lost hope. Leao on the other hand, you have to let him play like a child in it’s kindergarden, if you don’t give Leao that freedom, you won’t get the best out of him. Hazard at Chelsea was the same, you have to adapt your squad if you have a player like that in your ranks, and Leao is not a nobody, you have to adapt. If you treat him like he is part of the special forces, it simply won’t work.
100% Agree.
Agreed Nesta13. It all seems like an ego problem. At the very least he hasn’t been able to find chemistry between the players. And the way he speaks in his press conferences doesn’t help.
And yes. There were many positives to build on from the Pioli era.
Left flank was strong under Pioli, but almost too predictable and the team was completely unbalanced because of it.
Fonseca is trying to balance them and play as a team more.
Sure, everybody complained we were second and we needed to be first. Now we are so pleased with how Fonseca balanced this team 🤷
I’m not saying he’s the right person to do it. But that’s what it seems he’s trying to do.
He’s trying to fix a lot of Pioli’s issues out of the team. Do you disagree that Theo and Leao needed it? Because we complained a lot in past seasons about their attitudes and effort.
Fonseca is God-sent coach.God will help him and the club.
Quotes from Fonseca.
FONSECA, IS A REAL MAN.NO PLAYER IS ABOVE THE CLUB.
Fonseca is causing chaos. The team is playing badly, players are unhappy, fans are furious.
He has fallen out with Leao, Theo, Tomori, Calabria, Abraham that we know about.
We have most of our starting players available, he needs to do better
Fonseca may not be the right man for the job, but what he’s doing to the star players is long overdue. Half@$$ efforts get you the bench. Leao and Theo have both been guilty of it for YEARS under Allegri.
Fonseca is GOAT!
Although Fonseca is terrible, I feel as though we don’t put enough blame on the players themselves. You cant be one of the best backs in the world if you play terrible defense. Being good offensively doesn’t automatically make you one of the best in the world. Theo is no where near world class and his poor defending has led to numerous goals and defensive errors. Lazy defending, poor work rate. It’s not enough to score a goal here and there. Stop making excuses for some of these players who don’t play hard and with heart. Same goes with Leao: we need to demand more from these guys. We are not looking for glimpses of genius every four games. Just because they have the ability and potential to be world class does not make them so. You can be critical of your players and still support them, which is what we need, some accountability. Change and progress can’t occur if we are always making excuses for poor performances (either team, individual, or coaches).